Apparatus for securing metallic heel fasteners to shoes



Jan. 11, 1938. GQRDQN AL 2,105,116

APPARATUS FOR SECURING METALLIC HEEL FASTENERS TO SHOES Filed Oct. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 11, 1938. H. GORDON ET AL 2,105,116 I APPARATUS FOR SECURING METALLIC HEEL FASTENERS TO SHOES Filed Oct. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 11, 1938 APPARATUS FOR SECURING METALLIC HEEL FASTENERS TO SHOES Hiram Gordon and Albert C. Rogge, Columbus, Ohio, assignors to Lock-n Heel Company,

Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois r r Application October 5, 1936, Serial No, 104,004

V '5 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for securing metallic heel fasteners to the heelseat areas of shoes. In the manufacture of women's shoes particularly, the ordinary method of nailing wood 1 5; disclosed in our prior co-pending application, Se-

rial No. 81,476 filed May 23, 1936, an improved heel fastener comprising a metallic plate formed with perpendicular prongs which are adapted to be forced through the outsole and insole of a shoe and permanently clinched in engagement therewith so that the heel plate will become a unitary and fixed part of a shoe structure, the body of the plate being provided with a plurality of spaced downwardly projecting cars which are received within spaced slots provided in the body of the heel proper, a fastening pin being forced through the heel horizontally and transversely thereof from its breast face so that the pin will penetrate the ears of the fastening plate and permanently lock the heel body in connection therewith.

By this construction, the use of ordinary nails in the fastening of the heel body is dispensed with and after the fastening plate has been secured to the shoe, a finished-heel seat is pro-v duced which will readily receive the wood heel body, enabling the latter to closely conform with theexterior curvature and lines of a shoe and when fastened, will entirely conceal the fastening plate from exterior View.

The apparatus employed in the attaching of the metallic fastening plate to the shoe has been. disclosed in our prior application, Serial No. 81,- 478 filed May 23, 1936, in which application there is set forth a press provided with a reciprocatory head in which the metallic fastening plates are detachably mounted, the arrangement being such that when the head is reciprocated toward an inverted lasted shoe, arranged on a plate carried by the head will be driven through both the insole and outsole of the shoe and clinched into permanent contact therewith. In the operation of this press, it has been observed that in certain instances during the operation supporting anvil, the prongs of the fastening of forcing the prongs of the fastening plate through the insole and outsole, there is a tendency for such prongs to bend or flex in an undesired manner so that the desired penetration of .the prongs through the shoe soles and the proper positioning thereof in fastened relationship with the shoe soles is not obtained with desired certainty. Particularly is'this true if the prongs should encounter, while being forced through the soles, nails or other foreign objects which would tend to deflect the prongs from their desired course of travel.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved pressing head. or ram by which the prongs of metallic heel fastening plates of the character set forth are positively guided and supported during the operation of penetrating the shoe soles so that deflection of the prongs from theirintended courses of travel is positively precluded.

It is another object of the invention to provide the reciprocatory head or ram of the heel plate attaching press with a plurality of piercing spurs or tines which are disposed in registration with the prongs of a heel fastening plate detachably carried by the head or ram, the spurs or tines being so disposed as to penetrate the leather of the outsole and insole ahead of the prongs in order to puncture the soles orproduce openings therein through which the prongs may readily pass without undue bending or deflection from their normal courses, the ram spurs or tines being of relatively sturdy construction, as compared with the plate prongs, so that if nails or other terengaged for limited relative sliding movement and having resilient means interposed therebetween, one of said members being provided with the sole penetrating spurs or tines while the other of said members being constructed to detachably receive the heel fastening plates, where by provision is made for guiding the supporting prongs of the fastening plates during the entire operation of fastening such plates to the heel receiving regions of shoes.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is'to be had to the following description and the acompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. l is a view in front elevation of a heel plate attaching press having the improved head or ram construction constituting the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the press on the plane disclosed by the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view on a somewhat enlarged scale taken through the attaching head or ram on the plane indicated by the line IIIIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a' vertical sectional view on the line IVIV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the head on the plane indicated by the line V--V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the upper member of the head;

Fig. '7 is a similar view of the lower member;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view disclosing the head in the operation of guiding the prongs of an attaching plate into secured relationship with the soles of an associated shoe;

Fig. 9 is a View in side elevation of a modified form of head.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

the numeral l designates the heel plate attaching press provided with the reciprocating head or ram 2, to the construction of which the present invention is particularly directed. Generally, the press is'of the same construction as that set forth in our above referred to application Serial No. 31,478, of which the present application is a continuation in part. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the press comprises a frame 3 upon which is mounted an anvil 4 adapted to receive a last 5 carrying a shoe, as indicated at 6. The upper portion of the frame carries a cylinder 1 in which is disposed a spring supported piston, not shown, having a depending rod 8, to the lower end of which is attached the head or ram 2. Compressed air, or other actuating fluid, is admitted into the upper end of the cylinder by way of a valve regulated pipe line 9, so that the piston therein may be forced downwardly, against spring pressure, bringing the head or ram 2 which detachably carries a heel fastening plate of the type indicated at It] into securing engagement with the heel receiving area of the shoe 6.

, The plate iii, which is preferably of the type set forth in our prior application, Serial No. 81,476, above identified, comprises a thin sheet metal body transversely and longitudinally curved to conform with the shape and curvatureof the heel receiving region of a womans shoe, the margins of the plate being provided with a U-shape-d cutting flange ii for removing surplus material from the outsole or to effect what is known in the art as the operation of trimming the outsole. The plate is also provided with perpendicularly extending, relatively spaced, integral fastening prongs l2, which extend downwardly from the plate below the edges of the flange II when said plate is positioned in the press. Also, the plate is provided with a pair of upwardly extending, relatively spaced, integral ears l3 which are employed in practice to unite an associated heel body with the plate after the latter has been attached to an associated shoe.

The improved head or ram, indicated at 2, comprises an upper member I 4 and a lower member E5. The upper member is formed with a socket it for the reception of the reduced lower end of the piston rod 8, the said rod being provided with an annular shoulder ll against which the upper surface of the ram member 94 engages. A close fit exists between the lower reduced end of the rod 8 and the walls of the socket it in order to hold the ram in connection with the piston rod. In addition, a set screw I8 is employed in a corresponding capacity. The upper member i l terminates in a depending shank extension it which is substantially U-shaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 5. The lower surface of the shank extension i9 is provided with a pair of relatively spaced vertical slots 20 which are adapted to receive the ears E3 of a heel attaching plate l0. Such a plate is detachablyconnected and carried by the bottom surface of the extension i9 by providing the latter with spring pressed balls 2!, which engage with the apertures or weakened areas of the ears i3 to frictionally hold the fastening plates in connection with the upper member atthe time of insertion of said plates into the driving head or ram of the machine. The lower surface of the shank it conforms with the slightly cupped or dished configuration of the body of the plate It! and is of the same general plan dimensions as said plate, the forward lower portion of the shank 99 being provided with a shoulder as indicated at 22.

The lower member E5 of the head or ram is slidably mounted on the shank extension i9 between the shoulder 22 and the upper portion of the body of the member 04. In this instance, the lower member in horizontal cross section partakes of the U-shaped form of that of the shank l9 so that a plate i9 may be inserted into its applied position on the lower end of the shank through the open front of the lower member. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the lower member is provided with a transversely extending bar 23 held in place by a bolt or screw 2t, the bar 25 engaging with the shoulder 22 to limit downward movement of the lower member on the shank it. Also the lower member i5 is equipped with a plurality of upwardly extending screws 25, having their upper ends received within shoulder openings 26 provided vertically in the upper member M.

Coil springs 2'! surround the screws 25 and areinterposedbetween said upper and lower menu bers and normally tend to effect relative separa tion therebetween, causing the lower member to project below the lower surface of the shank I9 so that the lower member will completely surround the flange i i of an attaching plate and likewise provide guiding support for the prongs 12 of said plate. In this instance, the substantially U shaped lower face of the lower member i ii is provided with a plurality of spaced spurs or tines 28 disposed in vertical registration with the prongs Q2 of a plate ii] when the iatter is carried by the shank i9 of the upper member.

In the operation of the press, a plate It is first inserted into the head by positioning the cars 13 thereof in the slots 2B of the shank it, the ears being engaged by the spring pressed balls 2 I, so that the plate will be held against accidental dropping. By the inclusion of the springs 21, the lower member of the pressing head will be positioned to completely surround the marginal portions of the plate, contacting with the flange H and also the prongs l2. Compressed air may now be admitted into the cylinder 1, causing the descent of the piston and the rod 8 so that the attaching head or ram will be advanced toward a lasted shoe, supported as shown in Fig. 2 upon the anvil 4 and maintained in proper registration with the head or ram by the inclusion of the back gage shown at 29. The spurs or tines first enter the outsole and penetrate through the outsole and well into the insole of the shoe, producing openings or punctures therein. This movement of the lower member of the ram is then checked by the resistance offered thereto by the lasted shoe, and the contacting of the lower edge 39 of the member l with the outsole. The upper member then continues its descent by causing compression of the springs 21, so that the prongs l2 will readily penetrate or cut through the openings provided in the shoe soles by the ram spurs or tines 28.

Duringvthis operation, the said spurs or tines effect positive guided travel on the part ofthe plate prongs, removing nails or other hardened objects from the paths of the advancing prongs, and preventing said prongs from swerving from their intended courses of travel. Likewise, the

inner walls of the lower member support and guide the flange l I so that the latter may effectively operate in removing surplus material from and positively executed in a rapid and accurately directed manner.

In Fig. 9, a slightly modified form of head has been set forth, wherein the head. indicated at 35, is mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal pivot 36 and secured in connection with the lower end of the piston rod 8. The head is formed to present a pair of members 31 and 38 located approximately 90 degrees apart. The member 31 is provided with spurs or tines 28a, while the member 38 is socketed for the reception of a heel plate I0. In this form of the invention, the member 31 is operated so that its spurs or tines will penetrate the leather of the shoe soles and after which the head is revolved so that the member 38' will occupy the position in registration with the shoe, providing for the securing of the plate, Ill connected therewith, the prongs of the plate readily passing through the open ings formed in the sole by the spurs or tines 2811.

To prevent rotation and consequent misalignment of the head, the piston rod is made square and the upper surface of the upper member 14 is provided with a transversely extending rib Ma. This rib engages the flat side of the piston rod and positively positions the head in proper alignment.

What is claimed is: V

1. In apparatus for securing metallic heel attaching plates to shoes, a driving head embodying a plurality of sections, means formed with one of said sections to detachably engage a heel attaching fastening plate of the type having spaced prongs therewith, and sole penetrating tines carried by the other section of said head and operable to produce openings in a shoe sole to facilitate the advance of thesecuring prongs of said plate into and through said soles.

2. In apparatus for securing metallic heel attaching plates to shoes, -a reciprocatoryhead,

means carried by one end of said head for detachably engaging a metallic heel fastening plate having spaced prongs in connection therewith, a guide member movably carried by said head for limited sliding movement thereon, said guide member being normally disposed to project beyond said head so that the inner surfaces thereof are disposed in guiding contact with the prongs of a plate carried by said head, and spurs or tines projecting beyond one end of said guide member in registration with the prongs of said plate, said spurs or tines being adapted to penetrate the soles of a shoe in advance of said prongs to facilitate the passage of the latter through the soles.

3. In apparatus for securing metallic heel attaching plates to shoes, a reciprocatory head,

means carried by one end of said head for detachably engaging a metallic heel fastening plate having spaced prongs in connection therewith, a guide-member movably carried by said head for limited sliding movement thereon, said guide memberbeing. normally disposed to project beyond said head so that the inner surfaces thereof are disposed in guiding contact with the prongs of a plate carried by said head, spurs or tines'profastening plate of the type having spaced securing prongs in engagement with the concave face of said ram, a guide member surrounding said ram and mounted thereon for limited sliding movement, springs interposed between said ram and said guide member and serving to normally maintain one end of said guide member below the concave plate receiving surface of said ram, with the inner surfaces of said guide member in guiding engagem nt with the marginal portions of said plate and the attaching prongs depending therefrom, and spaced'piercing spurs depending from said guide member in registration with the inner surfaces thereof and the attaching prongs of said plate. 1 r

5. The structure as specified in claim 4 and wherein the plate attaching end of the ram is provided with a pair of slots for the reception of ears formed with the heel attaching plate and wherein the ram carries friction exerting means for engagement with the ears to positively retain the latter within the slots.

HIRAM GORDON. ALBERT ROGGE. 

